Cleveland OK'd $13M Police Settlements

CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland has agreed to pay more than $13.2 million in a little over two years to settle lawsuits over police misconduct.

The list of 26 cases compiled by Cleveland.com (http://bit.ly/… ) includes a $6 million settlement of a lawsuit against the city filed by the family of Tamir Rice. The 12-year-old black boy was fatally shot by a white officer while playing with a pellet gun at a recreation center.

In the 26 months since the boy's November 2014 death, the city has surpassed the estimated $8 million it paid to settle similar cases in the preceding decade.

A spokesman says the city's court-mandated police reform helps reduce use of force that lead to lawsuits. The reform came after the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into the department.

(KA)